Cigarette lighter



Dec. 10, 1940. l. FLORMAN CIGARETTE LIGHTER Original Filed March 17,1937 III,

Patented Dec. 10, 1940 STATES PM: .rrics Application March 17, 1937,Serial No. 131,270 Renewed May 3, 1946 Claims.

My invention relates to cigarette lighters and particularly to suchlighters of the pyrophoric type.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a lighter which isoperated by a movement similar to that of the opening of the blade of ajack-knife. In other words, the operation is caused by swinging thelighter body out of a easing into which it normally fits.Thisarrangement gives a lighter which is practically without projectingparts, but which is easy to operate and eflicient in its operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel snufingarrangement in which the snuiier is pivoted on a part which is movablewith respect to the wick, and is operated by relative movement betweenthe parts to cover and uncover the wick.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fullyfrom the following description, particularly when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows the lighter in side elevation in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the lighter in open and operative position.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the wick-carrying por- I tion taken from theleft hand side of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section through the lighter.

As shown in the drawing, the lighter comprises a casing member 2, thiscasing being open at the bottom and at one side, namely the right handside in Fig. l. The casing is rectangular except that in its upper righthand corner it is provided with substantially semi-circular notches 4 inits opposed back and front walls.

The lighter mechanism, or wick-carrying member, comprises a fuel chamber6 pivoted at 8 at the lower right hand corner of the casing 2. The fuelchamber can thus swing from a position within the casing 2 shown in Fig.1 to a position outside of the casing, shown in Fig. 2. The movement ofthe fuel chamber from one position to the other is utilized to cause theoperation of the lighter.

The fuel chamber is filled with a suitable absorbent material such ascotton wadding l0, and a wick 52 extends upwardly from within the fuelchamber to a point above the top wall thereof. The walls of the fuelchamber extend upwardly as at M to form ears between which is mounted ashaft it. The cars i l have at their right hand (c1. (av-7.1)

side upward extensions RS onthe outer surfaces of which are mountedbuttons 20 adapted to engage in the semi-circular recesses 4, andproviding a grip for pullingthe fuel chamber 6 out 5 of the casing 2.

'Mounted on the shaft i6 is a flint wheel 22 engaging a flint/2d mountedin the upper end of a tube 26 which extends downwardly through the fuelchamber 6 and is closed at its lower end by a plug 28. The flint is heldin engagement with 0 the wheel 22 by a coil spring 30 within the tube2b. The flint wheel 22 is provided on one side with notches 32. Thesenotches are engaged by a spring tongue 35 carried by a U-shapedoperating member 36 likewise pivoted on the shaft 15 It, thus giving aone-way connection between the operating member 35 and the flint wheel22. A spring 38 engaged at one end around a pin ill mounted in the earsM extends around the shaft 16 and engages at its other end the operating20' member 36, thus normally urging the operating member in a clock-wisedirection (Fig. 3).

Mounted on the top wall d2 of the'casing 2 is a fiat leaf spring M whichhas its free end located adjacent the notches t, this free end having a25 channel-shaped part providing two vertical portions and a, horizontalpart connecting them. The inner vertical portion 48 when the lighter isin inoperative position engages behind the horizontal portion Eilof theoperating member 36. 30 Thus when the lighter is moved out manuallytowards the position shown in Fig. 2- the portion 48 holds the operatingmember 36 and causes it to turn counter-clockwise around the shaft I6.When the fuel chamber portion has moved a certain distance, the edge ofthe section 59 slips under the channel section and the spring 38 whichhas been put under tension throws the operating member 36 in a clockwisedirection, thusimpartin motion to the flint wheel 22 and turning thesame to ignite the wick.

When the fuel chamber member is returned into the casing, an inclinedportion 52 on the transverse part 56 of the operating member 3% engagesthe channel-shaped end of the leaf spring member M and pushes itupwardly so that the fuel chamber member can return into the casing.When this is done the-lighter is obviously ready for another operation.

In order to extinguish the flame, I provide a snuffer member mountedwithin the casing. This snufier member is pivoted on a shaft 55, and hasa body portion 55 and a snufiing cup 58. A spring Gil engaging at oneend the side wall'of the casing and at the other end the main portion 56of the snufling member normally urges the snuffer in a counter-clockwisedirection (Fig. 3) or towards a raised position. The snufling member,however, has downward extensions 62 lying in the Path of the wall of thefuel chamber 6. Thus when the fuel chamber swings in to the casing itswall strikes the extensions 62 and forces the snuffer member down overthe wick. When the fuel chamber starts to move out of the casing thepressure is released and the spring 60 will raise the snuifer member offthe wick.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish itto be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby exceptwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing, said casing being open atone side, a fuel chamber pivoted in said casing and movable out of thecasing through said open side thereof, a wick carried by said fuelchamber, and cooperating means on said casing and said fuel chamber toignite said wick when the fuel chamber is moved out of the casing, saidmeans comprising a flint wheel, resilient means, a one-way connectionbetween said flint wheel and said resilient means, and means first toput said resilient -means under tension and then to release the same.

2. A lighter comprising a casing open at one side, a fuel chamberpivoted in said casing and movable through said open side out of thecasing, a leaf spring member mounted on the top wall of the casing andhaving a hooked portion on its free end, a wick carried by said fuelchamber, a flint wheel rotatably mounted on said fuel chamber adjacentthe wick, means to hold a flint in engagement with said flint wheel, anoperating member pivoted on said fuel chamber, a oneway connectionbetween said operating member and said flint wheel, resilient meansnormally urging said operating member in a direction to move said flintWheel, said operating member having a portion engageable with saidhooked portionwhen the fuel chamber is within the casing, whereby whensaid fuel chamber is moved out of the casing, said hook first turns saidoperating member to place said resilient means under tension and thenreleases the same so that the operating member is moved by saidresilient means to turn the flint Wheel and thereby to ignite the wick.

3. A lighter comprising a casing open at one side, a fuel chamberpivoted in said casing and movable through said open side out of theeasing, a wick carried by said fuel chamber, a flint wheel rotatablymounted on said fuel chamber adjacent the wick, means to hold a flint inengagement with said flint wheel, an operating member pivoted on saidfuel chamber, a one-way connection between said operating member andsaid flint wheel, resilient means normally urging said operating memberin a direction to move said flint wheel, and means operable when saidfuel chamber is moved out of the casing first to turn said operatingmember and place said resilient means under tension and then to releasethe operating member so that it is moved by said resilient means to turnthe flint wheel and thereby to ignite the wick.

4. A lighter comprising a casing Open at one side, a fuel chamberpivoted in said casing and movable through said open side out of thecasing, a member mounted in the casing, a wick carried by said fuelchamber, a flint wheel ro- :tatably mounted on said fuelchamber,adjacent.

the wick, means to hold a flint in engagement with said flint wheel, anoperating member pivoted on said fuel chamber, means connecting saidoperating member and said flint wheel, said operating member having aportion engageable with said first member when the fuel chamber iswithin the casing, whereby when said fuel chamber is moved out of thecasing, said first member operates said operating member to turn theflint wheel and thereby to ignite the wick.

5. A lighter comprising a thin substantially rectangular casing, saidcasing being open at the bottom and at one narrower side, a fuel chamberpivoted in said casing at the corner formed by said bottom and openside, and movable through said open side out of the casing, a leafspring member mounted on the top wall of the casing and having a hookedportion on its free end, a wick carried by said fuel chamber, a flintwheel rotatably mounted on said fuel chamber adjacent the wick, means tohold a flint in engagement with said flint wheel, an operating memberpivoted on said fuel chamber, a one-way connection between saidoperating member and said flint wheel, resilient means normally urgingsaid operating member in a direction to move said flint wheel, saidoperating member having a portion engageable with said hooked portionwhen the fuel chamber is within the casing, whereby when said fuelchamber is moved out of the casing, said hook first turns said operatingmember and places said resilient means under tension and then releasesthe same so that the operating member is moved by said resilient meansto turn the flint wheel and thereby to ignite the wick.

6. In a lighter as claimed in claim 2, a snuffer member pivoted withinsaid casing, means normally urging said snuffer member to inoperativeposition, said snuffer member having a portion thereof lying in the pathof movement of said fuel chamber when the same is moved into the casing,whereby said fuel chamber engages said portion upon movement into thecasing and moves the snuifer member to cover the Wick.

7. In a cigarette lighter, a casing, a fuel chamber pivoted for movementinto and out of the casing, a wick carried by said fuel chamber, asnufifer member pivoted in said casing, means normally urging saidsnuffer member to inoperative position, said snuffer member having aportion thereof lying in the path of movement of said fuel chamber whenthe same is moved into the casing, whereby said fuel chamber engagessaid portion upon movement into the cas-.

ing and moves the snuffer member to cover the wick, and means forreleasably holding the fuel chamber in the casing.

8. In a cigarette lighter, a casing, a fuel chamber mounted for movementinto and out of the casing, a wick carried by said fuel chamber, asnuifer movably mounted in said casing, means normally urging saidsnufier away from the wick, and means operated by relative movement ofsaid fuel chamber into said casing to move said snuffer towards thewick, and means for releasably holding the fuel chamber in the casing.

. 9. In a cigarette lighter, a casing, a fuel chamber pivoted formovement into and out of the casing, a wick carried by said fuelchamber, a snuffer pivoted in said casing, means normally urging saidsnuffer away from the wick, and means operated by relative movement ofsaid fuel chamber intosaid casing to move said snuffer towards saidwick, and means for releasably holding the fuel chamber in the casing.

10. A cigarette lighter comprising a casing, said casing being open atone side, a fuel chamber pivoted in said casing and movable out of thecasing through said open side thereof, a wick carried by said fuelchamber, means operated by relative movement between said casing andsaid fuel chamber to ignite said wick, a snuffer memher pivoted Withinsaid casing, means normally urging said snuffer member to inoperativeposition, said snufier member havinga portion thereof lying in the pathof movement of said fuel chamber when the same is moved into the casing,whereby said fuel chamber engages said portion upon movement into thecasing and moves the snuffer member to cover the wick.

IRVING FLORMAN.

